


ghost(s)

by hanjt



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fallout (Video Games) Setting, Blood and Gore, Father-Son Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Monsters, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Apocalypse, Slow Burn, Violence, a cowboy that helps those that r in need, connor is a badass and gay post-apocalyptic cowboy, yeehaw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-13
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2019-07-11 18:46:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15978245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanjt/pseuds/hanjt
Summary: The year is 2250. Over 200 years ago, the bombs dropped.The world was brought to flames.Most perished. Some survived. Connor, a RK800 android, persisted the initial fallout. He continued on living, and in time, helped those that struggled within the wastelands. He tries not to think of his peaceful past, and pushes away those that get too close to him.That is until, one day, an android that goes by the name of Markus comes to him, in desperate need of help. Connor accepts, and on his mission with Markus, he discovers more about himself and his past...What could it all lead to?





	1. identities

**Author's Note:**

> [ PLEASE READ ! ]
> 
> hi. hello. i hope you all enjoy my fic! i'll try and upload as much as i can. title is from the song ghosst(s) by lorn. before you start reading, however, please look below, just so i can clear some stuff up!
> 
> aight. here we go.  
> \- you DON'T need to know anything about the fallout games or universe to read this.  
> \- in 2038, there was no revolution. the android's sentience was simply tolerated, as the Great War was just breaking out (the Great War is what caused the nuclear bombs to drop).  
> \- markus, the jericho gang, kara, luther, and alice (plus other side characters) did not exist / weren't active during this time, only connor was.  
> \- instead of dealing with deviancy cases, connor had worked on homicide cases with hank. expect their relationship back then to be akin to the game's, if you ended up with them being friends. the two would probably have been closer, though, as they spent a couple of years being partners instead of a couple weeks (and hank is still the one that helped connor into deviancy - in this au, it just took longer).
> 
> that's all i have off the top of my mind. if there is anything else i need to cover, be sure to ask! thank you! <3

Blood flew into the air, taken by the harsh wind, fluttering and splattering onto the ground. The freshness of the bodily fluid made it look pink against the dull concrete.

Or, it may have been the radioactivity.

The fat creature crashed into the ground beside its innards. Its legs twitched briefly, before stuttering to a stop altogether. A horrible wheeze came from it as the last breath escaped its shrivelled lungs.

A form kneeled beside it, brandishing a hunting knife. Experienced hands made quick work of the bloatfly, cutting the meat from its carcass. The monstrous insect was flipped over so the gland could be cut out. The loot of the bloatfly was moved into a plastic pouch, which was then shoved into a dirty brown backpack.

The android stood up. He slipped the weapon back into its sheath, then proceeding to rub his hands together – he hated it when they got grubby. The filth of the post-apocalyptic life was something that most, unfortunately, could not escape.

But he was heading back to the heart of Detroit, now, where the gem of the wastelands sat – Jericho.

Jericho was the largest settlement in the Michigan region, with little over 15,000 citizens residing within its walls. It was a bumbling city; full of many stalls and exciting people. The android lived there. He usually returned with items to sell, and with this trek he had stumbled across many goods.

He’d found an abandoned raider’s base, and taken all the weapons that were left over – he snatched the medication that remained on rusty table tops, too. Medication made good caps, which worked into his favour; androids didn’t need it after all.

In the corner of his HUD, a map blinked into reality. He created a waypoint to Jericho, and begun his hike home.

His boots crunched across the dead grass, passing cracked roads, through yellowing bushes. His laser rifle sat heavily in its holster, occasionally knocking against his body as he marched through the rough terrain. His hands twitched with a flimsy bottlecap – the current currency of America – and he flipped it up a few times before neatly performing intricate tricks with it.

Usually one wouldn’t be so careless in wandering the nuclear world. But the android, who was connecting to a radio that was being streamed from Jericho itself, was mostly comfortable in the dying terrain.

He’s been active for 212 years, been _alive_ for 210 years. Before the Great War, androids had grown sentient – and the humans, already too involved in fighting their own kind, had accepted, yet tolerated, the new superior race.

He had originally been designed to be a detective unit, and with his perfect memory he can still recall the many cases and pursuits he made. It’d been his prime. And a man… his partner… the one that had helped him realize his true self, to go deviant…

That man had been the closest anyone has been to the android, and that was over 200 years ago.

He flicked the heavy plastic into his opposite hand, his temple tingling from a ghost sensation. No. He knew people nowadays. He knew other androids. None of them were as old as him, of course, but he knew them. The androids were usually ones that had been recovered many years after the bombs, or new models people made themselves with the knowledge of the original androids. He occasionally talked to them and other beings, sold his findings to them. A few times he’d sat down to drink some thirium with them.

But other than that, he kept to himself. It was a lonely world, yet one he was willing to live in, if only to make other’s lives better.

It wasn’t like he needed much money – he didn’t need to eat, and he wore his clothes until they desperately needed to be changed. He only bought the occasional thirium pouch or biocomponent when he absolutely required it. There’d been only two times he’d needed to replace his main battery – the source of what had kept him alive for so long – and while both ‘surgeries’ had been expensive, he was still well off.

So that was why he tried looking after those around the deadly region. Those that were in _need_. Whether if it was some bottlecaps to keep them going for a month more, or if they lacked vital resources, he’d do his best.

It gave him purpose. It gave him something to _strive_ for.

And with his advanced coding and detective programming, he was good at it. Great, even.

The android had never been able to stray away from his old motives, even after the bombs dropped and the world was reduced to torment and desolation. He still wanted to keep those that were honest, safe. He still needed a purpose – where it used to be closing cases and saving the day, his mission was now to help those in peril. There wasn’t much heart left in the undeniably cruel and scary world, so he offered the most heart he could, even if his own was artificial.

Some humans called him a messiah. Some androids called him rA9. But he’d just offer a tilted smile, sincere eyes lifting. _“No. I’m just Connor,”_ he’d say.

And just Connor he was, as a heavy metal song begun on the radio, and his walk gained more of a skip in it.

 

* * *

 

Connor returned to the city no later than 8:06 PM, when most stores that bought from him were just closing. He went to his own home – a tiny and cheap lot, the size of a garden shed. It fit a bed and it was optimal for keeping his belongings, so Connor had no problem with it. There were many of these tiny lots packed into the city, to house as many people they could fit within the walls. Tall buildings and warm shops made of scrapped materials filled the rest of the city. Colourful lights danced in the night air.

He came back out at 9:27 PM, wanting to take some time to mindlessly roam through the bright city. As he walked down a path that was made of scavenged metals, he glanced upwards. While Jericho was a city within walls, outside it stood the broken Detroit, and its many skyscrapers. Past the blinking lights of Jericho, Connor could see these dark and towering buildings, looming over them all. He remembers when they’d been full, no disturbance to them at all. In their destroyed state, they still made Connor’s step falter.

He continued on, squeezing through a particularly packed road. Some people wove to him. He’d nod back. Connor was well known for his deeds, and he wasn’t cruel enough to simply just ignore those that he’d helped.

His eyes skimmed over people’s faces as they bumbled by, and Connor was joyed to be tucked in this corner of the broken universe, where they could be civil and happy and free without the threat of the wastelands.

Connor rounded the edge of an old building and walked down a set of public stairs. He had a destination in mind. Less and less people surrounded him as he continued down the darkening path, leading to an alleyway. He walked to a cosy door that hid between buildings. A lone sign hung above it, constructed out of cardboard. It read ‘Androids only’. He pushed the door open, entering.

Inside, the lights were low and blue. The few tables were wooden and round, with cushioned chairs surrounding them. The bar was the most popular, and many androids sat along the counter, flasks of thirium in their hands. A low murmur added to the atmosphere, and an old fashioned jukebox sat in the corner. 80s songs crooned from the speakers, background music to all the chatter and humming of the city outside.

Connor let his breathing function even out. He felt peace at once, which further pulled him into his low-power mode. He walked to the bar, pulling out a stool and sitting on it. The bartender, a reconditioned WB200, smiled towards him. Connor returned the gesture.

“Hello, Miles.” He said, eyes tired.

“Connor! It’s been a while since I’ve last seen you down here. Been busy?”

“I have recently been under quite a lot of pressure, but as of now, I am contented.”

Miles huffed a laugh. “Alright, bud. Lemme get you a drink on the house, alright?”

Connor went to object, but Miles gave him a look. The android grabbed a glass and filled it with thirium. The blue poured into the stained cup, and he placed it in front of Connor.

“Thanks.” He said with an upturn of his lips.

Miles nodded before moving on.

Connor sipped the thirium, blocking the diagnostics that floated into his vision as the cool liquid flowed into his system. It sent a good kind of chill down his body, refreshing him. He felt more alert, suddenly. His senses sharpened. Perhaps he’d gone too long without a fill…

Someone slipped into a stool beside him. Connor paid no mind. He was relaxed, slightly slouched in his chair. _Voices Carry_ started playing through the jukebox, and Connor closed his eyes, taking another sip of thirium.

_“I’m in the dark, I’d like to read his mind,”_

_“But I’m frightened of the things I might find.”_

Connor’s pump beat in time with the rhythm of the song, and the RK800 thought he may have been able to slip into sleep statis right there.

“You’re Connor, right?” The man that had just sat asked. His voice was smooth.

Connor’s eyelids flew open, his optical units adjusting to the blue hue of the atmosphere once more. He looked to his left, at the android that had spoken.

“Yes.”

“Right. Sorry to interrupt your night,” the man said sheepishly before continuing, “But my friends and I are in need of your help.”

Connor blinked, glad that he’d taken the thirium, otherwise he’d be far too gone to pay 100% of his attention on the new face. “Of course. What is it you need help with?”

“You see, one of my friends, she got taken by some raiders. I believe it was people she’d once worked with, so it’s personal. They took her when we were situated in the city. I thought that perhaps you’d be able to track them down and then accompany our group to the destination. Only – only if you have the time, of course.” His smile had fallen, his features softening. “And we could arrange a payment. I’d pay anything to have North back…”

Connor watched the man’s sombre expression, quietly taking in his features. He didn’t run a scan over the androids face; he didn’t do that often anymore. It felt like he was breaching other’s privacy when he did so.

“I’ll assist you. You shouldn’t worry about the payment. It sounds corny, but knowing that I can help you get your friend back is payment enough for me.” Connor finished with a small smile.

The man before him crumbled, and he placed a hand on his shoulder. “ _Thank you_. Thank you so much.”

“It’s alright,” Connor easily replied. “When would you prefer me to commence the mission?”

“You don’t have to begin investigating until tomorrow, I’d prefer if we were to start this in the daylight – but if you wanted to meet the rest of my group right now, I’d be happy to take you to see them.”

“That sounds fine. I’d love to be acquainted with them.”

“Great! Come along, then.” The android stood, and Connor downed the rest of his thirium. He left a small tip before following the man out of the door.

They walked beside each other. Connor looked in his clear peripherals, checking out the man’s profile. In the more natural light outside, Connor could pick out faint freckles that were splattered across the android’s tan skin. And as the man turned his face towards him, he saw that his eyes were separate colours; a deep blue and a blooming green. The bar had been too dark to inspect such features, and now Connor felt himself being dragged into the man’s gaze.

Connor blinked. “I… I never got your name.”

“I must have forgotten to tell you. Sorry, that’s so rude of me.” The man smiled apologetically. “My name is Markus."


	2. paths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ay !! thank you all for the kudos and comments. they are what fuel me!
> 
> this chpt is kinda boring but uh. its gotta be here, fellas. hope you enjoy it anyway!
> 
> also can i just say that its super annoying typing north's name in word? bc it still keeps on thinking its the direction buT NO ITS A NAME LEAVE ME ALONE BLUE UNDERLINE

Markus lead Connor into the outskirts of Jericho. They’d been quiet for the remaining walk, and were far enough from the centre of the city to see the wall that enclosed around them, standing tall. The very wall that kept the unknown horrors of the apocalyptic world out.

Connor’s guard arose as Markus wove him down the side of a long warehouse. The duo crept along the side of the structure, and Markus looked back to mention that his group were lucky enough to accumulate enough money to rent the place out for a while. They stopped at the back door. Markus knocked his hand against the door in a distinct rhythm, and it must’ve made sense to whoever was inside, as the door was unlocked with a few small _clicks._

Markus entered first and Connor followed. The android that opened the door shut it closed behind them, proceeding to flip the many locks back into security. He looked to Markus, and then to Connor. His face was placid, his overall posture relaxed.

A body stood by a workbench, which was shrouded with weapons and ammunition. Connor distantly wondered if any of the weaponry was illegal to Jericho. The android noticed them, then stood straight and folded his hands behind his back.

Connor sensed another figure, a female android, sitting on one of the pieces of stiff furniture. She was leant over an object that was in her hands, tinkering with it. She didn’t acknowledge the movement in the room.

“It’s not much, but right now, it’s all we have.” Markus turned to him, gesturing around them.

The inside was dark, with no windows to provide any natural light. The place was largely empty other than the dusty couch the female android sat on, some other simple pieces of furniture, and the table full of weaponry. Other necessary supplies laid about. There were five crumpled sleeping bags in the far corner. A crate sat opposite them, full of what Connor presumed to be spare biocomponents and thirium.

Markus continued on as Connor studied their living space.

“This is Simon,” he looked to the man who’d opened the door. “We don’t necessarily have official titles for our positions, but he’d be the head of communications. He helps contact certain parties, whether if it’s to set up a new settlement or to purchase equipment.”

Simon smiled, a very fitting expression for the man’s kind face. “Markus, you give me too much credit.” He stepped towards Connor, who’d been quiet the whole time, and offered him a hand.

Connor took it, shaking. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Connor. I just wish it’d been under different circumstances.”

“Likewise. I hope to solve this case swiftly and get your comrade back. I’m aware of how much Markus and the rest of your team value her.”

Simon nodded, stepping back to his original spot, looking infinitely more comfortable at Connor’s choice of words.

“This is Josh – he takes care all of our weapons, despite how much he dislikes them. North… usually handles them with him.” Markus said, looking to the android by the apparatus.

Josh stayed rooted by the table, not as open as Simon, and gave a curt nod. “Hello. Thank you for coming to help. It means a lot, to all of us.”

“Of course.” Connor answered, respecting Josh’s choice to stay distant.

Markus pointed towards the remaining member. She was still working on what Connor now discerned to be a biocomponent; particularly a thirium pump regulator. He concluded it must be a spare part from the crate, being repaired so it’d be of ideal use to whoever may need it next.

“And this is Lucy. She is our healer, and helps recover many of the biocomponents we find.”

She looked up at the mention of her name. Her eyes were black like gaping holes, staring through Connor, picking him apart. Her skin pulsed, mixing between the human-looking texture and the white plastic beneath.

“It’s a pleasure meeting you.” Connor expressed, attempting to drag a response from her.

She continued to stare, however. Her expression was unreadable; her presence wise.

Markus placed a hand atop Connor’s shoulder as Lucy returned to the biocomponent. “Come and have a seat. We could talk over the information we have.” His level voice pulled Connor back into focus.

The two sat at a wooden table. An overhead lamp hung from the roof over the table, giving it a mysterious glow. Simon joined them. Lucy and Josh stayed where they were.

“Markus didn’t mention it – I mean, it’s pretty obvious – but he’s our leader.” Simon said, smile turning into more of a smirk.

“You know we are all even with our responsibilities, Simon,” Markus sighed with underlying annoyance, obviously giving Simon the reaction he’d wanted. “I simply just prepare and employ the expeditions we hold, and –”

“And lead,” Josh jumped in from his workbench.

“Okay. Fine. Suppose that I am the unannounced foreman, but that doesn’t mean that you guys don’t make decisions that direct our organisation, too.”

“I believe we all agree that you are our rightful leader, Markus. Shouldn’t you proceed with your planning now?” Lucy vocalized for the first time since Connor had been in the warehouse. Her voice was soft, yet held something that made anyone listening want to comply with.

“Yes – Of course.” Markus said, clearing his voice processor. Connor looked to Simon, and then back to Markus.

“Is it okay for me to ask questions? It would be best if I were to completely understand the premise of the situation, and who North is. I will then be able to calculate the best way of approaching the investigation.” Connor informed, staying professional. Both of the seated men agreed for him to shoot away.

“Thank you. Now, Markus mentioned earlier that the people that took North were past associates of hers. How did you know this, and why do you think they’d taken her?”

Through Connor’s precise questioning, he learned that North was taken by androids of the same model as her. WR400s. They were all from the same group that had once been reset and reactivated many years after the bombs (they knew this from times North had opened up about her past). She’d been taken in broad daylight in one of the busiest parts of central Jericho; which meant many people had been witness. It’d only been Josh with her at the time, and he said the perpetrators used a gadget of some kind to put her into stasis mode instantly.

Connor was surprised that they abducted her without Jericho security going after them, but he guessed that if they all had the same faces, they could’ve made it out of the city with no detection or suspicion.

So far he knew that the abductors, two WB400s of the same appearance as North, took her without too much of a fight. That suggested that they didn’t want to injure her – she was still alive. Which meant that either, A: the perpetrators wanted something from her, B: wanted North to join their group again, or C: use her for some other purpose. What if it was revenge? What if they wanted to hurt her where they wouldn’t be punished? All activities that had happened (or that may happen) were illegal within the walls of Jericho, so they could have taken her to a base in the wastelands. It seemed the most likely outcome at that moment.

It was just the matter of determining _where_ their base was, and what their intentions were.

The group decided it’d be best to meet up at the start of the next day, to begin searching for clues and interrogating witnesses.

Connor had been planning to leave once they’d confirmed their arrangements, yet he found himself being caught in their conversations. Josh had joined them at the small table. They all managed to fit, shoulders barely touching as they got lost in chatter. Markus’ elbow gently pressed against Connor’s arm every time he laughed.

“Remember when she tackled a mole rat?” Simon said, leaning his hand under his chin.

“Yeah, and she pulled one of its teeth out.” Josh shook his head, huffing with amusement. “She tried selling it when were back in town, but nobody wanted a damn _mole rat tooth_.”

Connor fiddled with a bottlecap that was in his pocket. “I’m impressed that she even managed to wrestle a mole rat, _and_ tear out a whole tooth. They are exceptionally vicious creatures.”

“Well,” Markus started, looking to Connor, “North is an exceptionally vicious creature.”

They all laughed at that, Connor more subtly so. He knew that this joy would be short lived. Tomorrow they would be all business searching for North. And _if_ they got a lead, it could take them to danger. To… deactivation. To death.

Sometimes Connor still needed to remind himself that he was alive – that he had his own will, he made his own decisions, that he was in the world to not serve but exist as an equal to the human species. His deviancy had not been easy to overcome – and 200 years later, with all his experience, he still struggled.

If the mission went wrong they wouldn’t be _deactivated_ , they’d be _dead_.

“I’m sorry,” Connor spoke, stopping the flow of discussion, “but I should be going now. I’ll need to have a reasonable amount of hours to charge for tomorrow.”

Markus’ face twisted, seemingly deciding upon what to say, when he said, “Of course. Let me show you to the door.”

“Bye, Connor! I had a great time talking with you. Thank you again.” Simon smiled, his synthetic skin wrinkling around his eyes.

“It was nice meeting you. Rest well.” Josh said, now much more relaxed compared to when they’d first met.

“Thank _you_ both. I’ll see you in the morning.” Connor replied, straightening his jacket as Markus stood beside him.

When they’d turned for the door, Connor had tried looking over the two at the table, and into the rest of the warehouse. Lucy wasn’t on the couch anymore, but she didn’t seem to be in any of the sleeping bags either. He’d been too lost in the others to realise she’d left, and he wondered where she could have wandered off to. It wasn’t like there were any other rooms in the warehouse.

Markus stood by the door and opened it for him. Connor’s mouth tugged into a tilted smile. “I’m glad you came to me today, Markus. I’m always happy to meet new people and have the opportunity to help.”

“Just know that we were all happy to meet you too, even Lucy. I apologise for her silence… she’s had a difficult past.” Markus’ eyes deepened, going stormy. “And we’ve all been on edge since North was taken. But having you here… it really lightened the mood. Josh has been stuck by the workbench since it happened, trying to figure out a way to get her to come back. Tonight has been the first time I’ve seen him smile all week. So… thank you. You have no idea how much you’re really doing for us.”

“Markus. You don’t have to thank me. I vow to do _everything_ in my power to get North back, for you and your friends. I won’t give up, no matter how difficult this case could turn out to be. All I want is for you to be reunited with her.” Connor divulged, voice deep. His chest burned with determination, and he stared into Markus’ face with profound sincerity.

Markus’ shoulders hunched slightly, a hardly visible change, and he placed his hand upon Connor’s shoulder. “ _Thank you_. rA9, that’s all I’ll be saying to you once this is over.” His face split into a jaded kind of smile.

Connor let out a quiet laugh, and then took a step away from Markus. The man’s hand fell to his side.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Markus.”

“Bye, Connor. Take care.”

Connor turned into the darkness.

He trailed along the way he and Markus had come. He heard the back door close lightly. Connor looked back, _he should never look back_ , and Markus was gone.

His steps faltered as he passed through to the front of the structure. Lucy stood a couple of feet beyond him, her face tilted towards the night sky. She looked into it like she’d looked into Connor.

There was no one but them around. All was dark, minus the light spilling from surrounding buildings. It may have been eerie, but Connor found no rational reason to be afraid. If he could trust the rest of them, he could trust Lucy.

“Connor,” She spoke slowly. “Can you see how clear the stars are tonight?”

Connor blinked at her dark form, and then glanced upwards. The stars _were_ exceptionally clear. Usually they were clouded with light pollution, or radioactivity that floated in the atmosphere. But tonight it was lucid; the stars dazzled above them.

“Yes. There has been a 68.5% drop in atmospheric pollution in the past days. The pollution is technically still there, and it will soon come back to visibly hang over Jericho.” Connor read the facts on a recent city newspaper he’d downloaded. He continued to explore the sky with his eyes.

“Isn’t it a phenomenon? To be witness to such rare beauty when the world is full of fear and hatred?” Lucy said, her voice sounding wondrous. Connor felt her opticals on him, and he slowly looked back down.

“You are lost, Connor. You will find your place. You must take the right paths to get there. It’ll all be clear for you shortly enough.”

He was all too aware of the way his thirium pump picked up. He stared at her, she stared back. It was a suffocating staring match, and he couldn’t drag his eyes away from her. Lucy was like a pillar; standing tall, so much taller than Connor, she was towering over him. Paths. He’d need to take the correct paths. They would determine his future.

It didn’t make sense.

Connor was about to voice this, yet Lucy beat him to speaking. “Go and rest, Connor. You’ll need it for the events that will take place tomorrow.”

She spoke so cryptically, so clearly, like she knew what was going to happen. But that was impossible. It was illogical. Androids couldn’t _see_ like that – they don’t have souls, so how could they? Was it through some other force? Connor wasn’t even sure he believed in such things, but the way the words formed and fell from Lucy, it seemed to solidify his fears, his thoughts, his _everything_.

“… Yes. I suppose I will. Thank you, Lucy.”

Connor tugged at his brown sleeve and lowered his eyes as he walked around her, back into the heart of Jericho.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so. markus rlly likes touching connor's shoulder


End file.
